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Minister of Justice of Georgia Meets Deputy Prosecutor of the Hague International Criminal Court to Discuss Investigation of August War Crimes

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Monday, 26 September , 2022
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Minister of Justice of Georgia Meets Deputy Prosecutor of the Hague International Criminal Court to Discuss Investigation of August War Crimes

Minister of Justice of Georgia, Rati Bregadze met today with the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Nazhat Shameem Khan and talked about the investigation of August war crimes. Deputy Minister of Justice Beka Dzamashvili also attended the meeting.

At the meeting with the Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC, Rati Bregadze once again confirmed that the Georgian side is ready to cooperate closely with the Hague court within the framework of the investigation of the 2008 war. As a result of this successful cooperation, on June 30, 2022, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against 3 "high-ranking officials" of the Tskhinvali region for the episode of crimes committed against Georgian civilian prisoners during the August war.

Speaking to Nazhat Shameem Khan, Rati Bregadze emphasized the fact that the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has already established the responsibility of the Russian Federation for crimes committed against civil and military personnel, such as: ethnic cleansing of Georgians in the Tskhinvali region; killing and torture of Georgian prisoners of war and civilians; Inhuman and degrading treatment.

The Minister of Justice of Georgia expressed hope that, following in the footsteps of the Strasbourg Court, the Hague Court, within its jurisdiction, will not leave without a legal response the facts that happened in the Tskhinvali region in August 2008, will impose appropriate punishment on all criminals and will make a significant contribution to the victims of war and crimes against humanity in the process of restoring justice.

At the end of the meeting, Rati Bregadze noted that ensuring state representation in international courts and consistent strategic litigation is a priority of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice, as the coordinating agency for state representation in international courts, will continue to protect the national interests and sovereignty of Georgia in the Strasbourg and Hague courts in the future.

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Strasbourg Court Confirms Davit Kezerashvili’s Guilt in Embezzling Georgian Army Funds, Rejects Claims of Political Persecution

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its decision in the case of Davit Kezerashvili v. Georgia. At a briefing, Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili discussed the ruling, which upheld the verdict against Kezerashvili.

“The Court concluded that, while serving as Defense Minister shortly before the August 2008 war, Davit Kezerashvili embezzled €5,060,000 (approximately 15 million GEL at today's exchange rate) intended for the Georgian army. It also determined there was no political persecution involved in his prosecution. The Supreme Court of Georgia's verdict finding Kezerashvili guilty was deemed well-founded, and no violation of the presumption of innocence was found,” Okhanashvili stated.

Okhanashvili outlined the fraudulent activities carried out by Kezerashvili:

"During his tenure as Defense Minister, Kezerashvili unlawfully signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company in a single day to provide combat training for the Georgian army. This agreement bypassed the General Staff of the Defense Forces. In reality, no training occurred, and the €5,060,000 allocated for the Georgian army was deliberately misappropriated."

Anri Okhanashvili emphasized that the Court also dismissed Kezerashvili’s demand for €15,000 in moral damages. Kezerashvili, who enriched himself by defrauding the Georgian army, sought additional compensation for moral damage. The Strasbourg Court firmly rejected this claim. It confirmed the seriousness of Kezerashvili’s crime and upheld the Supreme Court of Georgia's ruling as lawful.

The Justice Minister congratulated the Georgian state and armed forces on their success in the European Court and acknowledged those who defended Georgia’s interests:


“I congratulate the Georgian state, army, and people on this significant victory. I extend my gratitude to the Ministry of Justice staff and the Prosecutor’s Office for their dedicated work. We now look forward to seeing how our European partners, particularly those who previously characterized Kezerashvili as a media advocate, respond to this decision affirming his guilt,” Okhanashvili remarked.
05.12.2024
05.12.2024